LIVERPOOL Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) is set to return for a 13th consecutive year.

The nine-day event, the only one of its kind in the UK, will run from June 7-15 at various venues around the city including The Bluecoat, FACT, Unity Theatre, St George’s Hall and Sefton Park Palm House.

And this year’s LAAF will also coincide with Liverpool’s International Festival for Business.

The programme is yet to be announced, but organisers say it will include high-profile artists from all corners of the Arab world as well as some UK premieres. It will also cover family activities, visual arts, film, performance, music, dance, food, a book launch and interactive workshops. And although there is no specific theme to the 2014 festival, it is understood the programme will have a strong female presence.

LAAF chairman Taher Qassim said today: "The festival is committed to put the audience at the heart of what we do.

"We put our audience feedback into action through our regular marketing research and our team’s rigorous debate, discussion, and planning. I think this helps to make LAAF the dynamic, interactive, and forward thinking festival it has grown into.

"The festival is rooted locally in Liverpool but has reached a global reputation where many aspire to create something similar or be part of the festival from an international reach."

And artistic adviser Eckhard Thiemann said: "Each June Liverpool Arab Arts Festival is an important magnet for audiences to experience the work of Arab artists in the city.

"By hosting major stars as well as young and emerging voices, LAAF 2014 will offer a dense programme which skilfully presents the celebratory alongside the thought-provoking."